Welcome back,
Kathleen. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?
Forgiveness and fear are two prominent themes in my books.
Usually I’m grappling with one or the other and writing about them in my
stories is cathartic.
What other books of
yours are coming out soon?
A Reluctant Bride
(September, 2015)
A Pioneer Christmas
anthology (rerelease, October, 2015)
An Amish Market
anthology (February, 2016)
If you could spend an
evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would
it be and why?
Tim Hawkins, because he’s hilarious.
Yes, he is. We’ve had
him at our church for Laugh Night more than once. What historical person would
you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?
Harry Truman. He overcame a lot of adversity to become one
of our greatest presidents. He was also well-known for his perseverance and
optimism.
How can you encourage
authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?
EVERY writer gets rejection, not only before publication,
but after. The faster you learn to accept rejection the easier it will be to
write.
Tell us about the
featured book.
Never Broken is the first book in the Everlasting Faith series.
It’s an Irish/Scottish historical family saga and features the Cahill sisters,
Shannon and Ainslee, who are forced to emigrate from Ireland during the Great Famine. Never
Broken was originally published in 2006. It’s been revised for this
re-release.
Please give us the
first page of the book.
December 1834
Margaret O’Leary sat down at the splintered wood table,
tugging her threadbare shawl against her body. She glanced at the mound of
ashes in the hearth, the peat fire having gone out long ago. Cold, damp air now
filled the tiny, one-room hovel, piercing through her taut skin and penetrating
deep into her bones.
Dim light flickered from a lone candle on the table, casting
heavy shadows throughout the room. Two small, thin children lay on the floor
under one tattered blanket in front of the dead hearth. She watched the soft
rise and fall of her sons’ chests as they slept.
Another coughing spell consumed her, pain knifing through
her chest. She didn’t have much time left. The spasms were more frequent, the
pain more acute.
She focused on the small pile of coins in front of her.
Already they were down to crusts of bread. She’d made so many mistakes in her
life, all in the pursuit of pleasure, of adventure, of selfish gain. Now Rory
and Colm, her two shining lights in a dark world, were suffering with her.
She couldn’t let them suffer anymore.
A stub of charcoal lay next to a single sheet of paper. She
should have done this long ago. Earlier that evening, she’d gathered the
courage to tell Rory about her plan. As she’d expected, he reacted stoically,
agreeing to follow her wishes. Barely twelve years old, he’d been forced to
leave childhood behind. After Finn O’Leary’s abandonment two years ago, Rory
had become the family backbone she’d needed him to be.
Picking up the charcoal, she held it poised over the paper.
How could she find the words to write her regrets, to voice her apologies? At
one time, she’d thought Jane a stuffy prude who chose money and security over
excitement and passion. Tomorrow morning she would give the letter, the money,
and the last bits of food to Rory. There were enough coins for her sons to
travel to County Cork , then to the Gormley estate. She
had to trust that Jane would have compassion for her nephews and wouldn’t turn
them away.
A frigid draft sliced through the room, causing Colm to stir
and snuggle closer to his older brother. Margaret hadn’t told her youngest of
her plans. An eight-year-old wouldn’t understand. Perhaps one day he would.
Perhaps he could even forgive her.
God knew she couldn’t forgive herself.
Taking a ragged breath, she applied the stub to the paper. My dearest sister Jane, she began, tears
blurring her eyes. I’m so sorry…
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
www.kathleenfuller.comThank you, Kathleen, for sharing this book with us today. I can hardly wait for my copy to arrive, so I can finish reading it.
Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Never Broken (Everlasting Faith Book 1)
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com
Great first page! Sounds like a great read. I also think Tim Hawkins is very funny. Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteBeth in Montana
I love Irish/Scottish stories. My fondest wish at the moment is to head to my ancestral country and spend a month (or more) learning about my heritage. As that's not likely to happen, I hope to go tour the Emerald Isle and Scotland sometime in the future.
ReplyDeleteYour first page leaves me wanting to read more. Well done.
I enjoyed the interview with Kathleen! Thanks for sharing the first page. You've got me hooked.
ReplyDeleteCaryl in TEXAS
I love the first page ! Looking forward to reading the book soon! loved the interview, have always enjoyed Kathleen's books.
ReplyDeleteOhio reader
mcnuttjem0(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Sounds like a great book! Shelia from Mississippi
ReplyDeleteOh my, what a heartrending situation. I love a good family saga.
ReplyDeletePatty in SC
Angela and Oero would love to win.KY
ReplyDeleteAnother new-to-me author and an Irish/Scottish historical family saga....sounds good to me!! Reading the excerpt makes me want to know what happens to those little boys. And that cover...wow!! Took my breath away :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chance to win a copy & for the author interview, really enjoyed learning about Kathleen.
Trixi in OR
Oooh! I love anything Scottish/Irish. My family comes from a long line of Scottish/Irish royalty, so you could say it's "in me blood". 😄
ReplyDeleteJ.C. -Indiana-
ReplyDeleteHi Lena and Kathleen. Happy to be here and read this interview. Very interesting. Sounds like a heart breaker at the beginning. Sure would love to win and finish the story. GOD bless you both. Maxie from TX.
> mac262(at)me(dot)com <
I loved reading the first page. Thanks for sharing and thank you for thus giveaway.
ReplyDeleteConnie from KY
A very stirring first page. Fabulous.
ReplyDeleteMary P
QLD AUSTRALIA
What a wonderful interview with Kathleen! Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteAmy C
VA
What a wonderful interview with Kathleen! Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteAmy C
VA
Thanks for the interview. The first page really got me interested in the rest of the book. Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeleteI'd LOVE to read and review this it sounds awesome! :)
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Amada (pronounced: a.m.a.th.a), NM
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI love Kathleen's book and this one looks so interesting.Thanks for sharing! Jackie Tessnair N.C.
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting book.
ReplyDeleteEdward A in VA
Don't enter me, as I've already read the book, but I have to say, I LOVED this book and I can't wait for book two next spring. The characters and storyline in this book are captivating and hard to forget.
ReplyDeleteWow, Kathleen! If your first page is an indicator of how good the rest of the book is, this one should be a great read! Would love to win this.
ReplyDeletePam in Ohio